Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

The Committee notes with interest the comprehensive information provided by the Government in its report for the period up to 30 June 1999. It also notes the observations presented by the Employers' Federation of Ceylon in May, 1999; the observations made by the Government Service Labour Officers Association in its communications of May, September and November, 1999; and those by the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers' Union in May 1999. The Committee has also taken note of the discussion which took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards during the 87th (1999) Session of the International Labour Conference in relation to the application of the Convention by Sri Lanka.

1. Protection of children and young persons. The Committee notes the Government's statement that child labour is not a regular practice in the organized sector and does not exist in export processing zones (EPZs). According to the Government, 12 instances of child labour were detected in the domestic sector following 508 complaints received after an awareness campaign. Training activities carried out under the ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) have strengthened the enforcement machinery. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to provide information on the results achieved through the coordination of action of the different instances participating in the enforcement mechanisms including the labour inspection, and that it will report in particular on any assessment made and action taken in relation to child labour in the domestic sector.

2. Labour inspection in labour processing zones. The Committee notes the statement by the Government that labour laws are fully applied in EPZs; that tripartite consultations have taken place; and that separate statistics on the number of workplaces liable to inspection and the number of inspections carried out in each zone are not readily available, but that the Government would take action to compile and provide such statistics. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able in the near future to provide information in this respect.

3. Labour inspection personnel. The Committee notes that in its observations the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers' Union refers to the inadequacy of the labour inspection personnel to cope with the rapid increase of sophisticated modern industries and machinery; and the Employers' Federation of Ceylon states that workplaces are not inspected as often and as thoroughly as would be desirable and that inspection is generally limited to the formal sector where records are normally maintained. The Government Service Labour Officers Association, for its part, refers to the vacant positions in the inspection service (85) in comparison to the number of inspectors (277), drawing also attention to the recruitment of persons on a contract basis. The Committee takes note of the increase of the cadre of inspectors mentioned by the Government (two zonal senior assistant commissioners of labour, seven assistant commissioners of labour, six labour officers and one medical doctor) and on the envisaged action in this regard. The Committee hopes that the Government will report on any additional measures taken to enhance the cadre of labour officers by 150 as previously planned and that it will also indicate the specific reasons to hire 200 field officers instead of filling the existing vacancies in the cadre of the labour inspection.

The Committee is addressing a request concerning the application of Articles 6, 7, 10, 16, 20 and 21 of the Convention directly to the Government.